home

21st Century Learning in Kindergarten

In the article entitled __Everything I Wanted to Learn, I Learned in Kindergarten__ by Dr. Chris Moersch, we learn the value of intentionally incorporating 21st century learning skills into the school curriculum. Dr. Moersch describes an observation he experienced in a kindergarten setting where learning centers were developed with the specific intent to bridge core subjects with 21st century learning themes.

After he describes the learning centers, he goes on to ask the question of "why do we allow students to move away from 21st century learning?" He cites NCLB legislation excuses as well as standardized testing requirements. He also asks "how are we preparing students for the 21st century society?"

Some of the methods these kindergarten students were incorporating to make connections with the digitally charged worlds were ePALS, computer usage, listening centers etc. He suggest that we must make the shift to requiring classrooms to implement these types of technology advancements in order to stay connected to a globally connected world.

By Lee Whitlock

In what form should that "requirement to implement" be presented? In essence, how would you implement the requirement to implement? Do administrators phase it in? Do they declare your students MUST DO "XYZ" each day? each month? each grading period? or sometime within a year? And what should the "xyz" be? Who decides? How is it verified complete?